Yendi Hospital records 390 HIV/AIDS cases in five years

Yendi (N/R), Aug. 15, GNA - The Yendi Government Hospital recorded 390 HIV/AIDS cases over the past five years.

A total of 51 cases were recorded in 2001, 91 in 2002 and for 2003, 2004 and 2005, 111, 82 and 65 cases respectively.

Mr. Anthony Sapaal, HIV/AIDS Coordinator of the Hospital, made this known at a three-day workshop organised by the HIV/AIDS Secretariat Initiative in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) for 191 Junior Secondary School teachers in the Yendi District, on Tuesday. The participants at the forum were taken through topics such as Techniques for integrating HIV/AIDS issues into plans; HIV/AIDS Alert School Model; use of HIV/AIDS teaching manual; socio-economic impact on HIV/AIDS and sexual care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs).

Mr. Sapaal said some of the HIV/AIDS cases reported at the hospital were from Saboba/Chereponi, Gushiegu/Karaga, Nanumba North and Nanumba South and Zabzugu/Tatale Districts and stated that the Hospital had established a voluntary counselling and testing centre.

Mr. Jacob Konlaa, District Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, said the District HIV/AIDS Committee would promote the formation of HIV/AIDS Clubs in schools and appealed to teachers to intensify education on the disease to help reduce infection, especially among the youth. He said the Ghana AIDS Commission was supporting a number of NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs) in the fight against the disease.

Mr. Ziblim Nantogmah, District Director of Education, said the HIV/AIDS pandemic posed a serious threat to human resource development as the disease affected people in their most productive period. "It is for this reason that such workshops are being organised for teachers who are the link between school children and the communities to enable them to educate the people on the dangers of the disease and the preventive measures needed to be taken," he said.